Plaistow boy’s tower block fall death was preventable, says mum

The death of a five-year-old boy who fell from a kitchen window on the 15th floor of an east London tower block was “preventable”, his mother told an inquest.

Aalim Ahmed landed on a railing at the bottom of Jacobs House in Plaistow, east London, on 16 May 2024. He died instantly and his body was discovered by his father.

Sahra Osman told East London Coroner’s Court in Walthamstow she was “horrified” when Newham Council put them in the top-floor flat, which needed repairs, and said the council “could have prevented this tragic thing from happening”.

Newham Council said it was unable to comment until after the inquest had concluded.

Osman moved into the flat in Jacobs House in February 2023 while pregnant, despite feeling it was not suitable for her family which included Aalim, a toddler and her partner.

She said she had been advised to move in and complain about her safety concerns, rather than risk being made homeless if she turned it down.

During the inquest, she told Sandesh Singh, representing Newham Council, that she had repeatedly contacted the authority over safety concerns about “open windows” and outstanding repairs.

The court heard Osman had also sent an email to the council disclosing Aalim’s autism diagnosis.

“If you had done your job, he could have been here,” she told Singh.

“I think that Newham Council failed me as a mum, as a tenant.

“I tried everything. I tried to tell them my concerns about safety multiple times and you guys ignored me rather than doing anything about the actual issues.”